Switch matrix including both B switching elements and crossbar switch matrices

• US 5,220,320 A
• Filed: 02/10/1992
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vizada Incorporated (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: COMSAT Corporation (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Inventors: Evans, John V., Mahle, Christoph E., Gupta, Ramesh K., Zaghloul, Amir I., Assal, Francois T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magistre, Dervis
• Application Number:
  US07/831,731
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.79, 340/825.8, 340/825.83, 340/825.85, 340/825.89, 340/826, 379/269, 379/271, 379/272, 359/139, 307/112, 307/113
• US Class Current: 340/2.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2046 SS-TDMA, TDMA satellite switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1302 Relay switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1304 Coordinate switches, crossbar, 4/2 with relays, coupling field
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13333 Earth satellites
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 Signaling in general, in-band signalling

Abstract

A "modified rearrangeable" switch matrix combines both β switching elements and crossbar switch matrices in a single switch configuration, with β switching elements used at the input and output and at least one crossbar switch matrix in the middle to receive its inputs from β switching elements and provide its outputs to β switching elements.

Claims

1. A switching apparatus for selectively routing signals from a plurality of switching apparatus inputs to a plurality of switching apparatus outputs, said switching apparatus comprising:

at least first and second N×

M crossbar switch matrices having inputs and outputs, where N and M are integers greater than 2;

a first plurality of β

switching elements for connecting said switching apparatus inputs to the inputs of said first and second crossbar switch matrices; and

a second plurality of β

switching elements for connecting outputs of said first and second crossbar switch matrices to said switching apparatus outputs.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said β

switching elements comprises a (2×

2) double-pole-double-throw switch.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said first plurality of β

switching elements each includes a first output connected to a respective input of said first crossbar switch matrix and a second output connected to a respective input of said second crossbar switch matrix.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second plurality of β

switching elements each includes a first input connected to a respective output of said first crossbar switch matrix and a second input connected to a respective output of said second crossbar switch matrix.